Patients waiting longer than six months for ops

New evidence has emerged that patients are waiting longer to be admitted to hospital for operations, sparking claims that the coalition government is losing control of NHS waiting times.

A patient survey found that one in seven waited longer than six months to be admitted and an extra 150,000 patients have been caught up in increased delays since the Coalition came to power.

Other complaints made to the Care Quality Commission were over the quality of food, lack of help in eating it and not enough nurses on the wards.

It comes as a survey by Unison found three out of four of its NHS members did not believe they had an adequate amount of time to spend with patients to deliver “dignified, safe, compassionate” care.

The results come as the NHS is burden with finding £20bn in efficiency savings.

Katherine Murphy, Chief Executive of the Patients Association said: “We are encouraged by the small improvements being made in cleanliness and mixed sex accommodation.

“But they do not excuse the fact that patients are reporting that they are waiting longer to be treated and are not being given the help and support they need from ward staff.”

However, the Department of Health say official figures show that patients facing long waits were at a record low.

Health Minister Simon Burns said: “It is disappointing that more patients felt that they had waited more than six months for admission. In fact latest figures show there are fewer patients than ever waiting a long time for treatment in the NHS.”